The seemingly inexhaustible seam that is
Guild’s Light Music series has produced more ore. The big
names are here – Robert Farnon, Charles Williams and Philip
Green and others conducting various aggregations. And the
composers – in addition to Farnon and Green (no Williams this
time around) - turn up Leroy Anderson, Hugo de Groot, and
the always excellent Ancliffe and Melachrino. So the recipe
is much as before except most of these recordings will be
unknown to all but the most assiduous cultivators, the most
dedicated tiller of the Light soil.

Most were only
briefly available or not at all since they emanate from Mood
Music libraries but as ever with this series the disparate
charms and stylistic variety adds pleasurable tang and keeps
listening sharp and keen. Castles in the Air is one
of the better-known pieces, though not in this performance
by the Celebrity Symphony Orchestra – it’s full of fresh air,
boldly confident and with appropriately swirly string writing
and it gets things off to a rousing start. Farnon’s Swing-Hoe
has a touch – just a touch – of the Leroy Andersons about
it and is judiciously perky. Quite a surprise for me to come
upon Stanford Robinson in this context but of course he did
write for the theatre and operetta, as well as his conducting
work with BBC orchestras. His is a sophisticated contribution;
rather like an entr’acte actually and very persuasively played,
not least by the leader, the redoubtable Alfred Barker.

There’s some post-War
slink here – Venezuela– and some genuine Anderson
in the shape of his Penny Whistle Song. Melachrino
cribs from Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance (No.4) and Cockaigne
- for his London-March whilst Philip Green comes on all Gershwin
for his pocket piano concerto Song of Soho, whose sub-title
Rhapsody for piano and orchestra rather gives the game
away. Apart from Rhapsodyin Blue he half quotes
Blue Moon, which I think takes musical punning to the
edge. To balance this Leighton Lucas renews the Elgarian homage
in his stirring and justly well-remembered music for the film
Target for Tonight.

Genre pieces are
to the fore, such as the Pizzicato Rag and the jukebox
coins in the slot in There is a Tavern in the Town with
its take off of contemporary bandleaders Glenn Miller, Harry
James and Tommy Dorsey. Staid British hips must have swayed
slightly at The Girl from Cuba though the czardas in
Serbian Sunset are distinctly of the Monti kind. One
of the most evocative of all the pieces is Stanelli’s Atlantis
– Stanelli was actually Hugo de Groot – which is a rather
attractive tone poem devoid of aquatic cliché.

Fine notes from
the assiduous David Ades, who must be running out of things
to say (but clearly isn’t), and good smooth transfers, except
for what appears to be inherent muddiness in the Song of
Soho. To be super critical I do think one or two of these
tracks are slightly boxy but that won’t spoil your enjoyment
of another fine layer of excavation from the Guild production
team.

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